Whatever our activity, be it drinking, thinking or talking, we have mindfulness, that is, clear recollection. Alternatively, we can establish the recitation of a mantra - 'Buddho', 'Dhammo' or 'Sangho' - to govern and guide our mind.

Thanks. But if one if concentrating on reciting a mantra while doing activities, doesn't it mean that one is less aware of the activity itself - and therefore less mindful?

Spiny

No. I use 'buddho' the way mahasi students use mental labeling: to connect fully to each and every moment of every activity.

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

Ajahn Chah sometimes recommended to use the mantra 'Buddho'. I have never done mantra practices so I would like to know how often is the word Buddho supposed to be repeated. Is it every out and inbreath, once in breath cycle or infrequently?

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

If you haven't already read through the Buddho thread I highly recommend doing so. I have included almost every reference to Buddho, in theory and practice, found on the web in this thread. You will notice the variety of different ways the mantra Buddho can be used. Some use Buddho in conjunction with the breath and or footsteps, while others take the mental repetition of Buddho alone as the main object of focus. Different teachers recommend different ways to use the mantra.

What I would recommend you to do is to read through the Buddho thread, take note of the different uses of the mantra, and try them out for yourself to see which works the best for you. Hope this helps!

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

We shall thus employ these three gems in our recital technique which is known as parikamma bhavana. We can shorten the recital to Buddho, referring to Buddha. While our mind attaches itself to the name of the Buddha, we shall coordinate the rhythm of our breathing in order to practise knowingness, that is, knowing when to breathe in while reciting ‘Bud’and when to breathe out while reciting ‘dho’. In doing this we are combining Buddho, Dhammoand Sanghoas Buddho. Though we recite only one word it represents all three, because they refer to the same meaning but with different names. They have the same quality. Once we can hold Buddhoin the mind, then we shall experience calmness. What is this calmness? The calmness is Dhamma. Once we experience calmness, we shall experience happiness. What is this happiness? This happiness is also Dhamma.

Luang poh Boonpeng Kappago

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

There is no rule for reciting the word and there is no time limit. The Buddha told us to fix the mind on one word only. If we want to choose Buddho, then continue to do so until we find peace in our hearts.From now on we shall combine breathing with reciting the word Buddhofor our meditation practice. We shall not pay any attention to other things and we shall not think of anything else. We shall confine our thoughts to Buddhoalone so that we shall find calmness. If we think about various things it will be hard to gather together all these thoughts and piece them together. The mind will sprout in all directions and wander where it will. It will take us such a long time to gather these thoughts together and we shall eventually run out of time. Therefore we have to choose either Buddhoor concentrate on the breathing. It is up to us. This technique is called the development of tranquillity in the mind by the practice of reciting.

Luang poh Boonpeng Kappago

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

From the moment I made my resolve, I kept my mind from straying from the repetition of buddho. From the moment I awoke in the morning until I slept at night, I forced myself to think only of buddho. At the same time, I ceased to be preoccupied with thoughts of progress and decline: If my meditation made progress, it would do so with buddho; if it declined, it would go down with buddho. In either case, buddho was my sole preoccupation. All other concerns were irrelevant. Maintaining such single-minded concentration is not an easy task. I had to literally force my mind to remain entwined with buddho each and every moment without interruption. Regardless of whether I was seated in meditation, walking meditation or simply doing my daily chores, the word buddho resonated deeply within my mind at all times...In the end, I became so earnestly committed to the task that nothing could shake my resolve; no errant thought could separate the mind from buddho....

Maha Boowa

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

Working at this practice day after day, I always made certain that buddho resonated in close harmony with my present-moment awareness. Soon, I began to see the results of calm and concentration arise clearly within the citta, the mind’s essential knowing nature. At that stage, I began to see the very subtle and refined nature of the citta. The longer I internalized buddho, the more subtle the citta became, until eventually the subtlety of buddho and the subtlety of the citta melded into one another and became one and the same essence of knowing. I could not separate buddho from the citta’s subtle nature. Try as I might, I could not make the word buddho appear in my mind. Through diligence and perseverance, buddho had become so closely unified with the citta that buddho itself no longer appeared within my awareness. The mind had become so calm and still, so profoundly subtle, that nothing, not even buddho, resonated there....

Maha Boowa

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

t was during this stage that I first gained a solid spiritual foundation in my meditation practice. From then on, my practice progressed steadily—never again did it fall into decline. With each passing day, my mind became increasingly calm, peaceful, and concentrated. The fluctuations, that had long plagued me, ceased to be an issue. Concerns about the state of my practice were replaced by mindfulness rooted in the present moment. The intensity of this mindful presence was incompatible with thoughts of the past or future. My center of activity was the present moment—each silent repetition of buddho as it arose and passed away. I had no interest in anything else. In the end, I was convinced that the reason for my mind’s previous state of flux was the lack of mindfulness arising from not anchoring my attention with a meditation-word. Instead, I had just focused on a general feeling of inner awareness without a specific object, allowing my mind to stray easily as thoughts intruded.

Maha Boowa

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

Once I understood the correct method for this initial stage of meditation, I applied myself to the task with such earnest commitment that I refused to allow mindfulness to lapse for even a single moment. Beginning in the morning, when I awoke, and continuing until night, when I fell asleep, I was consciously aware of my meditation at each and every moment of my waking hours. It was a difficult ordeal, requiring the utmost concentration and perseverance. I couldn’t afford to let down my guard and relax even for a moment. Being so intently concentrated on the internalization of buddho, I hardly noticed what went on around me. My normal daily interactions passed by in a blur, but buddho was always sharply in focus. My commitment to the meditation-word was total. With this firm foundation to bolster my practice, mental calm and concentration became so unshakable that they felt as solid and unyielding as a mountain.

Maha Boowa

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

Practising Dhamma means striving to abandon the unwholesome states that arise within our hearts, making merit and maintaining the wholesome, and preventing unarisen, unwholesome states from arising. This is equivalent to the Path factor of Right Effort. If we have no mindfulness, or don't control ourselves with mindfulness, then it is like a river without a dam. Without an embankment to contain the water, it will naturally overflow. In the same way, if we don't have any mindfulness, or our mindfulness is insufficient, then our habitual moods will inevitably flood-in and overwhelm our mind. Therefore, we need to establish a strong and stable mindfulness by focusing upon the meditation mantra 'Buddho'.

Tan Ajahn Anand Akincano

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

For what purpose have we travelled here today, from the towns and the cities both near and far? We have come seeking Buddho - 'the Knower' - or, in other words, to realise this enlightened awareness and awaken our hearts like the Lord Buddha before us. In bringing forth this 'Buddho', or 'awakened awareness', then there is Buddho on the level of sila and Buddho on the level of generosity or dana.

Tan Ajahn Anand Akincano

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

We already know that there is abundant wealth in the world and that· stinginess is blameworthy. However, if we don't use our wealth beneficially, then when we are gone, it's worthless. Everyone is born and dies, and nobody can take with them the assets they have amassed, whether vast wealth or even this physical body; entirely everything must be left behind. If our assets are not used in wholesome and meritorious activities directed towards our spiritual welfare or the benefit of society as a whole, then they have scarcely any value. However, if we are heedful and possessed of Buddho - this awakened awareness - then according to our strength or ability, we can be generous, self-sacrificing and of service to others, whether to our country, our fellows in society or those experiencing accidents and misfortune. In this way we are giving and sharing our happiness with others. This is how we perfect the virtues of dana and caga ­- generosity and self-sacrifice.

Tan Ajahn Anand Akincano

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

Therefore, when we come to the practice of Dhamma, we have to abandon ignorance, craving and attachment. We must let go of delusion and cultivate wisdom, establishing the heart in Buddho ­awakened awareness. When possessed of Buddho, the heart is not deluded. The undeluded heart is one possessed of wisdom, and the heart possessed of wisdom is free from suffering.

The awareness that is Buddho begins with a heart that is happy, peaceful and free from stinginess. The Lord Buddha's heart was completely established in Buddho. He further taught that if we aspire to a peaceful, radiant heart or, in other words, if we are determined to realise the genuine, original mind- the mind naturally possessed of purity and peace - then we must ardently meditate.

Tan Ajahn Anand Akincano

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

Just as Ãcariya Mun foresaw, a village representative arrived that very afternoon to question him: “What are you searching for when you it still with your eyes closed, or pace back and forth?” Ãcariya Mun replied, “I’ve lost my buddho. I’m searching for buddho while sitting and walking.” "What is this buddho? Can we help you find it?”“Buddho is the most precious gem in the three worlds of existence – a jewel of all-pervading knowledge. If you help me find it, that’ll be excellent. Then we will all see buddho quickly and easily.”“Has your buddho been missing long?”“Not long. With your help we’ll find it a lot faster than if I look for it alone.”“Is buddho something large?”“Neither large nor small, it’s just the right size for all of us. Whoever finds buddho will become a superior person, able to perceive anything he wishes.”“Will we be able to see the heavens and the hells?” “Of course. Otherwise, how could we call it superior.”“What about our dead children, and our dead spouses, can they be seen?”“You can see anything you want once buddho is yours.”“Is it very bright?”“It’s much brighter than hundreds, even thousands, of suns. The sun is not able to illuminate heaven and hell, but buddho can penetrate everywhere, illuminating everything.”“Can woman and children help search for it too?”“Everyone can help – men, women, young and old, all can join in the search.”“This superior buddho, can it protect us from ghosts?”“Buddho is superior in countless ways. It is superior in the three worlds – kãma-loka, rýpa-loka, arýpa-loka. All three of them must pay homage to buddho. No being anywhere is greater than buddho. Ghosts are very afraid of buddho – they must bow down and worship it. Ghosts are frightened of people who search for buddho too, even though they haven’t found it yet.”“This buddho jewel, what color is it?”“It’s a bright, sparkling jewel with countless colors. Buddho is a special asset of the Lord Buddha – a gleaming aggregate of knowledge, not a material thing. The Lord Buddha bequeathed it to us many years ago, but since then it’s gone missing and we no longer know how to find it. But it’s location is not so important. If you’re trying to find it, what’s important is to sit and walk thinking “buddho, buddho, buddho” exclusively within your heart. Keep your attention focused within your body, not letting it wander outside. Fix your awareness firmly on the repetition of “buddho, buddho”. If you can manage to do this, you may even come across buddho before I do.” "How long must we to sit and walk searching for buddho before we find it?” “To begin with, sit or walk for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Buddho doesn’t want you to spend too much time searching for it yet. It’s afraid you’ll grow tired and so be unable to keep up with it. Losing interest, you will not want to search anymore. Then you’ll miss it altogether. This is enough to get you started. If I elaborate any further, you won’t remember it all, thus jeopardizing your chances of meeting buddho.”With these instructions in mind, the villager returned home. He didn’t take leave of Ãcariya Mun in any special way, because that was not the hill tribe custom. Deciding that it was time to go, he simply got up and left. As soon as he arrived at the village, everyone gathered around to hear what had taken place. He explained why Ãcariya Mun sat still with his eyes closed and why he paced back and forth: he was searching for the precious gem buddho and not, as they had presumed, because he was a ‘tiger in disguise’. He then explained Ãcariya Mun’s brief instructions on how to find buddho. Once the villagers knew the method, everyone – from the headman on down to the women and older children – began to practice, mentally repeating “buddho”. Several days later, something truly amazing happened. The Dhamma of the Lord Buddha arose clearly in the heart of one of the villagers. While mentally repeating the word “buddho” over and over again as Ãcariya Mun had suggested, one man in the village found Dhamma: his heart attained a state of peace and calm. A few days earlier, the man had dreamed that Ãcariya Mun was placing a very large, bright-shining candle on top of his head. The moment Ãcariya Mun set the candle on his head, his whole body, from the head on down, was brightly illuminated.He felt overjoyed as the radiance, spreading out around him, illuminated the surrounding area as well. Soon after he attained this state of tranquility, he went to tell Ãcariya Mun about his achievement, and about the amazing dream he had prior to it. Ãcariya Mun then gave him additional instructions on how to proceed with his practice. As it turned out, his progress was very quick: he was soon able to psychically know other people’s thoughts. He informed Ãcariya Mun of this very matter-of-factly in the forthright manner typical of forest people.Sometime later, this man declared to Ãcariya Mun that he had examined Ãcariya Mun’s citta and had clearly seen its characteristics. Playfully, Ãcariya Mun asked if he could see much evil in his citta.The man answered without hesitation, “Your citta has no focal point whatsoever – only an absolutely incredible radiance shining within.Your preeminence is unrivaled anywhere in the world. I’ve never seen anything like it. You’ve been here about a year now, why didn’t you teach me about this right from the beginning?” "How could I teach you? You never came to ask me any questions.” “I didn’t know you were a supreme master. Had I known, I’d have come for sure. Now we all know you’re an extremely clever person. When we came asking you why you sat still with your eyes closed and what you were looking for as you paced back and forth, you told us your buddho was lost and asked us to help you find it. When asked to describe it, you said buddho is a bright, sparkling jewel, but in truth the real buddho is your heart.

Last edited by Hanzze on Sat Jan 15, 2011 10:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

Just that! *smile*...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_

Thank you Hanzze! Ive been meaning to include that story but have a character limit on my browser and was not able to post it.

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah